Art and Tourism Observatory

The journey of Juan Aizpitarte's project began as a part of the Share Development Camp in Senegal, held between 20 December 2021 and 20 January 2022. He was touring tourist areas and interviewing tourism operators, studying post-colonial aspects and tourism etymology, focusing mainly on two terms: souvenir and service. The first related to a spiritual and enlightening part of the travel experience, and the second, to the difference in status between host and visitor.

‍Art and Tourism Observatory deals with culture-related tourism. Aizpitarte continued the work in SHARE: Lab 2 in Dakar (SN). In conversation with local stakeholders, he examined how tourism impacted Senegal and created a documentary of the interviews called 'Toubisme'. Through the testimonies of local workers in the sector, he painted a picture of what they were experiencing at this time. Together with a local choreographer, he explored the imaginative realm of Christopher Columbus via physical performance. With his documentary, he tried to give a voice to the whole community.

Watch the movie - Toubisme now!